"Though it seems counterintuitive, it is physically permanent stuff that evaporates from our minds."
— Brooks, Arthur C. (b. 1964)
Author
Work Title
Date
December 12, 2014
Metaphor
"Though it seems counterintuitive, it is physically permanent stuff that evaporates from our minds."
Metaphor in Context
Material things appear to be permanent, while experiences seem evanescent and likely to be forgotten. Should you take a second honeymoon with your spouse, or get a new couch? The week away sounds great, but hey -- the couch is something you'll have forever, right?
Wrong. Thirty years from now, when you are sitting in rocking chairs on the porch, you'll remember your second honeymoon in great detail. But are you likely to say to one another, "Remember that awesome couch?" Of course not. It will be gone and forgotten. Though it seems counterintuitive, it is physically permanent stuff that evaporates from our minds. It is memories in the ether of our consciousness that last a lifetime, there for us to enjoy again and again.
Wrong. Thirty years from now, when you are sitting in rocking chairs on the porch, you'll remember your second honeymoon in great detail. But are you likely to say to one another, "Remember that awesome couch?" Of course not. It will be gone and forgotten. Though it seems counterintuitive, it is physically permanent stuff that evaporates from our minds. It is memories in the ether of our consciousness that last a lifetime, there for us to enjoy again and again.
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Arthur C. Brooks, "Abundance Without Attachment," The New York Times (December 12, 2014) <Link to NYTimes.com>
Date of Entry
12/15/2014
